Wednesday, May 27, 2015

I haven't been posting as much as I used to, but I am determined to at least post for Gail's Wildflower Wednesdays once a month. I remembered last week, but the day came up, and oops, I didn't have my post ready. I went out this morning, and took some photos, and here I am while our now 11 month old granddaughter is napping. I watch her 4 days a week, and am kept very busy with her. She is a sweet thing, though, and I think she is going to be a gardener. She loves being outside, looking at flowers and getting excited when she sees insects.

The stars of the show so far have been the amsonias. I decided I was going to look up the flowers I am posting about in my books and provide information on them like Gail does, but for some reason, they were not in books. I know they are not native to Nebraska, but they aren't in the North American field guide I have, either. They are in the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower site, though.

This is Amsonia illustris, 3 to 6 feet, about 4 feet here, native to Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. The site says the amsonias prefer part shade and moist conditions. This one gets quite a bit of sun, and isn't always moist. This spring, they have had lots of moisure, though, since we've broken a record for the most rain in May. They are said to attract butterflies. I'm not seeing as many butterflies as I was before all the rain, but I'm thinking there were some on the amsonia blooms.

I wish the bloom time was longer.

I am pretty sure this one is tabernaemontana, but I could be wrong, because the Lady Bird Johnson site says it gets 1 to 3 feet.

I was thinking this one is also tabernaemontana. I wish I had a better memory. The false baptisa plants sure are doing well this season! I have seen bumblebees on them.

These two plants have been growing next to each other for a number of years.

Amsonia hubrichtii is only native to Arkansas and Oklahoma. They sure do well here, and look good in all seasons.

Leadplant has a good amount of native range, including Nebraska. It is a slow grower, and sometimes needs protection from rabbits, but I'm so glad I stuck with it, and planted more once I figured out how much I like it. It's another with blooms the pollinators are attracted to, and can be dried to make tea with. This one is growing next to a day lily my mother-in-law planted when she was alive and lived here. That's a penstemon in front of it.

Here's another hubrichtii growing in the front yard. The yellow bloom is golden alexanders.

I managed to protect a clump of phlox pilosa, one Gail loves, from the rabbits. This one may be a cultivar, though. I planted some of each, and don't remember where each was planted. I sure am enjoying the golden alexanders! They are a host plant for black swallowtails and are visited by native bees. I have seen a few caterpillars on them in the past, and hope to this year as well.

When I hear reports of flooding and severe weather, I try to remember who I know from blogging who lives in those areas. I hope all of you are OK and able to enjoy being in your gardens, or are able to make the repairs needed so you can.

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About Me

I am married with 2 grown children, two grandsons, and a granddaugher. We live in the house on a corner lot that my husband grew up in. I have been talking him out of more grass over time in order to increase space for gardening. We have veggies, annual, biennial and perennial flowers, some wild and/or native, and herbs sharing growing areas. A number of years ago, we had to have the tree in our front yard cut down, and I put mostly native plants in this area. I love seeing insects, especially bees and butterflies frequent the blooms, and have some plants for the caterpillars to eat.

Certified 10/09

Pussytoes

Amsonia hubrichtii

Golden alexanders

Purple milkweed

Purple poppy mallow

Narrowleaf mountain mint

Rattlesnake master

7/17/13

Short-toothed mountain mint

7/18/13

Echaneaceas paradoxa and pallida

7/22/13

Wild quinine

7/19/13

Whorled milkweed

7/20/13

Ironweed

7/25/13

Wild senna

7/25/13

Grayhead coneflower 7/25/13

7/25/13

All photos are taken by me, and are current unless stated otherwise. They enlarge when clicked on, or you can push "control" and "+" several times, until the photos are a size you like. (If I am in the pic, then it was taken by my husband.)

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The photos and writing here, errors and all, belong to the author of this blog. Please do not republish them without permission.